Though tasting the pure spirit is the recommended approach, I have experimented with a dram of Islay Single Malt in a pint of IPA beer. It is also delicious in a scotch and soda with a squeeze of lime.

Don't use this as a mixing scotch: it's too peaty, anythign you mix it with will taste like peat, smoke, and iodine. Second, this is a single malt...so it's expensive...~$40 at the cheapest....I would mix with something cheaper.